A Gift Could be an Enemy
by meniscus
Summary: HUM. what to say? Harry is grown up, Magonagall is in a bar, and Snape knew something...i think it's okay.


Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, nobody does. HOWEVER, one truly brillient mind DID INVENT them, the name of this individual is J.K. Rowling. Oh, and the title comes from the song "Privilege" from the totally kick ass CD "Make Yourself" by the excellent band "Incubus".

Note: This is actually half based one someone's real life experience. And no, I really don't why I decided to write it. Oh, and the usual from me, angst [or an attempt] bad spelling, and maybe some swearing-maybe. Enjoy.

* * * *

"One, who I believe has left me forever..." ~Lord Voldermort

* * * *

"But then" Severus stared at the phone reciever, suddenly paralised.

"They're dead, Snapefour nights ago, I can't believe you didn't know!" said Ian's voice.

"No one ever told me! Why didn't anyone tell me!?" Severus cried, his clentched hands shaking.

"I suppose everyone assumed you already knewSeverus?" Ian sounded irratated.

"I have to go Ian, goodbye." 

Severus slammed the phone down. _The Potterswhy?_ _Why does it tear me up so much?_ He wondered, he'd never liked them, in fact, back in school he might have even welcomed the newsor no, now that he thought about it, he realized that however much he had hated James, he still had never wanted him dead-never. 

Then he realized something else, something far more painful: He could have stopped ithe had been the one to find out that Voldermort knew who the Potter's seceret keeper was. He'd known that their new secret keeper was a double crosser, but Sirus? He hadn't known _that_. Stillhe could have calledhe could have told someonebut no, he'd make excuses "_well, I have no way of contacting them_." He had told himself. _Oh my god, I as good as killed them,_ Severus realized, cracking under the sudden guilt.

* * * *

The sky was blood red, occasionaly scared by black strips of clouds when Harry entered "Mike's", his favourite bar. Harry sat down, ordered a beer and nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw who was sitting next to him.

"PROFESSOR MAGONAGALL!" 

"Yes I amis that- is that Harry?" Magonagall peered at Harry for a moment. Yes, it was deffinitly Magonagall, a few more grey streaks, her glasses slightly ascew, and a few stray hairs ringleted at the back of her normaly tight bun.

"Wow, I haven't seen you in what? Five years?" Harry asked, still getting over his shock.

"Yes, about thathow have you been?" asked Magonagall, taking a sip from her drink.

"Oh, okay I guess, I don't know, work's pretty stressful these days--you still teaching?"

"Yep, what's this now? Twenty five years? Hmmm, I can't really rememberprobably not a good sign, eh?" Magonagall sighed, "So Harry, what do you do?"

"I'm an auror, undercover." Harry told her, knowing he would now get all the questions he usualy got.

"Really? Do you like it, Harry?" Harry was surprised, no one had _ever_ asked him that, most people asked things like '_is it exciting'_ or '_I heard the insanity rate in that job is rather high'_.

"It's pretty goodalthough sometimes it's really hard when you know the slimebag did it, but they get out with lot's of fancy words and cash," Magonagall nodded empatheticly.

"So, how are things at Hogwarts?" Harry asked, he hadn't heard from anyone there in ages, not even Ron or, what had been her name?Hermione. He had broken contact with them because of the dangers that came with being an auror.

"Oh, smoothly I supposewe've had to hire more staff recentlyyou know we have over seven hundred students now? It's absoluetly nuts! And most of them are in either Huffle Puff or Gryffindor, which obviously doesn't make things any easier for myself or Professor Gavin."

"Who's professor Gavin?" Oh, head of Huffle Puff--he teaches potionsdidn't you have-ohriiight, you had Severus, didn't you?"

Harry nodded, trying not show his shock of not having heard about Snape getting sacked.

"So, I suppose lot's of people were happy about that?" Harry asked, grinning a little.

Magongall gave him very odd look, "Actually, most people were rather upset by it," she said stiffly.

"Who? The Slytherins?" Harry snorted, swallowing some more of his beer.

"Everyone. Or at least mostly everyone," Magongall slumped and sighed a bit sadly. "Nobody ever really appericiated him 'till he was gone. Then we got Gavinoh sure, Gavin's a nice down-to-eath person, but he's really not a very good teacher, and god knows, he's not even half as smart as Severus was" Magonagall trailed off looking glum.

"Why? I'm mean, I know I got a pretty good base on potions and all that, but he was just terrible, althoughoh well, I guess he wasn't actually _that_ bad, especialy after fifth year, I remember once" Harry stopped, Magongall looked positivly miserable.

"What was he sacked for then?" asked Harry, suddenly puzzled.

"SACKED? NOBODY _EVER_ SACKED HIM, HARRY!" Magongall exclaimed loudly, looking very upset.

"But then?"

"Harry, where _have_ you been?" Magongall demanded, putting her drink down on the counter.

"Vancouver Tai WanHong KongCentral AmericaLos Angelesall over, why?" 

"So you never heard?" Magongall asked, sounding shocked.

"Heard what?"

"Oh, Harry.Severus is, well, dead."

"WHAT!" Harry cried, not sure exactly why it bothered him so much, "W-When?"

"A year ago-almosthe saw it coming I thinkif only-"

"How?" Harry asked, not realizing how detached he sounded after years of being an auror.

"He was killed. We never caught the personoh, it was horrible, someone shot him. A long range gun- you know a sniper or somethingsomeone realized that Hogwarts had very little defenses against muggle weaponsIt was a quidditch game, he just sort of fell into my lap, a-a hole in the side of his head," Magonagall eyes were slightly watery and her voice cracked on the last words.

"S-sorry," said Harry quickly, seeing all of it too, too vividly.

"That's fine, I really need to get back now, Harryit's been nice to see you again," Magonagall said, rubbing her nose and standing up.

"Yeah, really good to see someone from Hogwarts again" Magonagall shook his hand.

"GoodbyeI hope you have a happy life." 

And with that, professor Magonagall disapperated.

* * * *

Harry sat outside, alone. The air was getting a damp chill in it, and even though there was no breeze, Harry still pulled his jacket around himself tightly. _Why? _Harry wondered, _why does it bother me so much?_ Frankly, it completely baffled Harryyears ago he probably would have been almost happy to hear that Snape had been killedor no, nonever, he would have never been happy to heard _that_. Never, and now, nowHarry gritted his teeth, he would find out who, and then, they would pay

* * * *

"He will die, of course."~Lord Voldermort

* * * *

Oh, thank you soooo much for reading thisI had a really tough time doing this. Oh well, I think it's not badno swearingI believe that's a first? Or maybe a second. ;0) anyway, what did you think? I love reviews, and construtive critisim is just as good [although maybe not nearly so well loved] please don't flame meI know it's not really accurate, but it's still a cool possibility, anyway, please review! 


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